Recovery
by AshaRose
Summary: Jeez. How could they be partying at a time like this? Sure, they just beat one shichibukai and survived another.  But honestly, carrying on like this when one of their nakama was in critical condition!  Idiots all of them! ZoNa set post Thriller Bark.


This fic is set after the battle on Thriller Bark, during the party there.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, though I'm entirely certain that One Piece owns me.

**Recovery**

Jeez. How could they be partying at a time like this? Sure, they just beat one shichibukai and survived another. But honestly, carrying on like this when one of their nakama was in critical condition was just rude. Idiots all of them! And she had only just stopped Luffy from drowning Zoro in rum, too. Jeez!

Well let them have it their way, she wasn't going to get up and start dancing on the tables while Zoro was still in this condition. Nami would stay right here by the swordsman's side- like a decent crewmember would do! Looking up, Nami noticed that even their doctor was squirming with excitement, though he at least didn't abandon his patient. Still, the little reindeer was twitching with anticipation at the party.

With a sigh, Nami spoke. "It's okay Chopper. I'll sit with Zoro for a while. Why don't you go have something to eat?" She had barely finished speaking before Chopper was up on the table with Franky- chopsticks in his nose and everything!

Nami smacked her forehead and turned back to Zoro's cot. "Why are all of our nakama such idiots?" After a moment she added, "You're not so bad- not that I'd say it if you were conscious. You usually think things through more than they do. If it was one of them like this, I'm sure you'd insist on us keeping things quiet until after everyone recovered."

Well, it was true. Zoro usually kept the crew- and even the captain himself- in check. Had the situation been different, Zoro would have challenged Luffy on his decision to throw a party while their nakama still suffered. But since Zoro was the unconscious one, the party went on.

Maybe that was why Zoro made such a good first mate? He was the one who best got through to Luffy. Still both of them would have been lost at sea if they had never bumped into her. It really was funny how well their crew fit together- every member was just as important another. Each member was needed to ensure the crew's survival. With a twinge of irritation Nami conceded that it was annoying how quickly the crew forgot that fact when there was food involved!

While Nami mused over just how essential every member was to their crew, Lola wandered over behind her. "Namizou, are you not going to celebrate with us tonight?"

Nami turned to her new friend and gave her a soft smile. "Sorry, Lola. I just can't get in the partying mood when one of my nakama isn't able to join in."

Lola's large mouth turned up in a smile. "I understand. But certainly if you don't wish to party as eccentrically as your comrades, you could still enjoy some food."

Only then did Nami realize that her friend had carried over a plate of food and a drink. "Yes, thank you Lola!" She accepted the plate and mug gratefully.

"And perhaps since you are watching over him for now, our toast should be to your friend's speedy recovery," suggested Lola as she raised her own glass.

A smile crossed Nami's lips. "That's one toast I won't refuse today." Their mugs clinked together and both women looked out at the festivities as they drank.

Lola spoke with a laugh, "You really are part of one crazy crew, Namizou!"

Nami looked around at her crewmates. Franky and Chopper were dancing on the table while Luffy, Sanji and Usopp harassed the skeleton Brook about something only to become extraordinarily shocked when the skeleton opened up his skull. From a few tables away, Robin watched them while chuckling to herself behind her mysterious smile. With a sigh, Nami smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

After a few more moments, Lola excused herself to re-join the party and Nami turned back to her charge. "If you were awake, we'd be acting just as crazy as them, wouldn't we? I bet we'd both be winning our own drinking games by now. Funny, we've never actually gone against each other. I wonder which of us would win?"

A familiar tune began to fill the room and soon there were murmurs of "that song," all around. It was an old pirate tune that filled the heart with dreams of the sea. No pirate could hear the tune and fail to join in singing. After a few bars played, the entire party joined the song, "Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho ho." Only Nami and Zoro remained quiet.

With her elbows on Zoro's cot, Nami rested her chin in her hands. "Do you know this song too, Zoro? I've heard it many times in the past. But I don't think I've ever heard it quite like this." Her eyes closed and she let the song flow over her.

What a strange song. Always the same words, always the same harmony, but depending on who sang the song itself told a different tale. Tonight, the song told of long sufferings finally ebbing away to be met by new friends and new journeys. It spoke of new promises, and old promises and the bond between friends. Nami smiled to herself as the song continued, her crewmate's voices stood out to her over the general roar of the crowd.

"They might be a bunch of idiots," she whispered to Zoro with a smile, "but we are lucky to have them."

Nami gazed over Zoro's peaceful face despite the loud music and the off-key singing. She chuckled to herself. "You know, even if you weren't knocked out, I bet you could still sleep through this racket!" Not sure what was causing her to become so sentimental, Nami just chalked it up to the shock of almost losing a crewmate. When Kuma attacked them, she was sure they'd all die. But then they awoke to find themselves alive but missing one crewmember. They found him later covered in his own blood, and no one knew what to think. Chopper was certain he had almost died and it was just the sheer force of his will that allowed him to cling to life. Zoro had always been strong like that.

When the room finally calmed down, Nami could hear Luffy talking to Brook over by the piano.

"Would you mind if I become your nakama?" the skeleton asked nonchalantly.

"Sounds great!" laughed their captain.

Suddenly from their spots scattered about the room all the Straw Hats including Nami cried out, "Just like that? He joined the crew?"

Franky, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji and Luffy responded immediately with cheers and began throwing the skeleton into the air making jokes about how light he was. Robin chuckled softly and Nami realized they'd just added another crazy member to their crew, but even Lola and her crew was enthusiastic for the Straw hats' new addition.

Nami waved off their remarks politely and turned back to Zoro. "Well, that's another one! I don't think we'll ever have a 'normal' person in our crew."

Whatever Zoro though about Brook joining the crew, he kept it to himself and just continued to snore. Nami sighed.

After Brook officially introduced himself, the party took on an even livelier energy. But still, Nami couldn't find the spirit within her to get up and join her comrades. Once more she whispered to Zoro, "At least they seem to be having a good time." Why wasn't she? Was it weird that she wanted to wait for her nakama before celebrating? Just as she was wondering whether she would have felt the same way had it been a different friend, Sanji stepped up behind her and interrupted her thoughts.

"Oi, Nami-Swan! I have brought you a delicious piece of chocolate cake that can only hope to measure up to your own sweetness!"

Nami smiled and accepted the plate. "Thank you, Sanji-kun." After taking a bite she added, "It's delicious!"

Sanji got a funny look in his eye and clasped his hands under his chin. "That's because I made it just for you, Nami-swan, with love!" Nami chuckled as she took another bite.

When Sanji calmed down, he lit a cigarette and studied the immobile body on the cot. In a tone much more serious than he usually used to talk to Nami he asked her, "How is Marimo-head doing anyhow?"

The question took Nami a bit off guard as Sanji didn't typically care about how Zoro was at the best of times. Blinking, it took Nami a few moments to put together her response. "He hasn't done much but sleep since I've been here, but Chopper says that is what he needs now anyhow. His wounds have all been tended and if he rests, he should be able to pull through."

Sanji took a drag of his cigarette before he answered. "Then Nami-san, you must think us terribly insensitive to carry on so loudly when he is still fighting for his life."

Nami turned her eyes down to the ground guiltily. "No," she whispered a little reluctantly, "I know that you are all celebrating our victory and the survival of the entire crew- even him."

"Nami-san is such an angel to put aside frivolity and to tend to her wounded comrade." Sanji said softly.

Looking up at Sanji, Nami noticed there was no trace of his usual playfulness that he wore on his face when he usually praised her. A little confused, Nami said the first thing that popped into her mind. "I'm a little surprised that you of all people haven't tried to pull me away from his sick bed to the party." She stopped herself before adding that Sanji never seemed overly fond of Zoro.

Sanji took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled the smoke before speaking in a slow, soft- almost pained- voice. "That man deserves an angel watching over him tonight."

With that Sanji turned and walked away from her as his strange words sent shivers through her body. Nami looked at Zoro once more and whispered, "What did you do when we were all unconscious? What was it that gave you these wounds?"

It was then that she realized that whatever had happened, Zoro only got this way by somehow protecting the crew. She may not know exactly what he did, but she knew he had stood up for them when they were all at their most vulnerable. And he did it alone. "Oh Zoro," she whispered and instinctively she reached out for his hand. His hand was quite warm, but that was to be expected since his body was busy healing.

He didn't get this wounded from fighting alongside his nakama, but from fighting when they couldn't. Without answering herself directly, Nami had the answer to her question. It would have been different if it were another crewmember who was lying on this cot. Somehow even before she understood the depth of what he had done, she had known. Feeling a little strange, she squeezed his hand gently. "Get better soon Zoro. We're all waiting for you."

Around her, the party was beginning to die down. One by one people started to drunkenly pass out. Franky had fallen asleep sitting over his plate of half eaten food. Usopp and Luffy were stretched out on the table on either side of Chopper using his furry body as a pillow. Brook had finally fallen over on his piano keys, his sleep only evident from the snot bubble hanging from his lack of a nose. Sanji had disappeared long ago, most likely after his conversation with Nami. Robin stood up and walked over toward Nami.

"I refuse to fall asleep in a hall like this. I'm heading back to the boat."

Nami nodded. "I'm going to stay here with Zoro a while longer."

Robin smiled in that way she had that meant she understood more than what was being said. "Of course. Good night, Nami."

Lola and her crew were also giving in to sleep all around the room. Pretty soon Nami was the only one left awake. She stifled a yawn as she turned back toward Zoro only then to realize she was still holding his hand. Quickly, she snatched her hand back from him. No wonder Robin had given her such a weird look! But it dawned on Nami that no one was awake to give her weird looks now.

Slowly she stretched her hand out once more. As she did she told herself there was nothing more to it than wishing her nakama was well again. Nami let her fingertips trace gently over the back of Zoro's knuckles and over his hand. Had she been thinking about her actions she would have pulled her hand away embarrassed. But Nami was reacting purely on instinct at the moment. It wasn't something she did often- and probably only happened after spending too much time around Luffy.

Without thinking, Nami let her fingers ghost over Zoro's arm and trail over his shoulder. Despite the hardened appearance of his well-trained body, his skin was quite soft. Liking the way his skin felt under her fingertips, Nami allowed them to continue their journey toward his muscular neck.

Suddenly Zoro moaned causing Nami to jump and pull her hand back. Crap! Now he'd wake up and demand to know why she was touching him. Only he didn't wake up. His lips parted and he mouthed something she couldn't make out. Zoro licked his lips and tried again and this time Nami could hear him though his voice was harsh. "Cold."

Nami felt relieved that he hadn't actually caught her and supposed that laying on a cot in nothing but torn pants and bandages probably wasn't good for him. She should look for a blanket. Standing up, she looked around at the supplies that had been brought from the ship, but Zoro spoke again causing her blanket searching to cease. "More... cold..."

Glancing down at her fingers, Nami remembered how warm Zoro's skin had felt under her hands. Maybe it wasn't that Zoro was cold. Sitting herself down on the edge of his cot, Nami held her breath and tentatively stretched her hand out toward Zoro's cheek. His eyes still closed, Zoro sighed and leaned into her hand. Nami let out the breath she had been holding. He wasn't cold at all! Her own hands were cold and must have felt good against his warm skin.

Taking a deep breath Nami reached her other hand out and placed it gently on the exposed part of his chest and let her hand travel over the skin above the bandages while her other hand traced over the planes of his face. Zoro made a content sound and Nami realized that she could feel her heart beating in every part of her body. She slid both hands to Zoro's neck and allowed them to travel from behind his ears down to his chest before sliding out over his shoulders. Nami's mouth had begun to feel dry and instinctively her tongue came out to moisten her lips. As she was enjoying the feeling of Zoro's well-muscled chest under her hands, she felt him move beneath her. For a moment she froze certain that Zoro was waking up and going to push her off of him.

But instead his large, warm hands came up to rest on the back of her shoulders. She let out a breath she hadn't realize she'd been holding as his hands started to rub over her shoulders and down her arms only to make their way back up to her shoulders. It had cooled down in the room once everyone had stopped carrying on and Nami's spaghetti-strapped dress did little to protect against the cold. Zoro's hand seemed to have minds of their own, just as Nami's had earlier. When his hands started moving across her back, her hands began to caress his chest again, traveling up the back of his neck and tangling in his hair. Despite her heart beating faster than she could ever remember, Nami gave into the soothing feeling of Zoro's hands running over her and in that late hour Nami soon begin to feel drowsy.

She woke some time later to find herself half lying on top of Zoro! Her legs still dangled over the side of the cot from when she had sat down, but she had leant forward and fallen asleep across his torso. Though she had been sitting on his left side, she somehow managed to fall asleep with her face pressed against the right side of his neck. She could actually feel his pulse beating beneath her lips! Zoro had turned his head toward her so his cheek was pressed against her forehead. His right hand was tangled in her hair while his left arm was snaked around her waist with the hand resting firmly on her back.

Several things occurred to Nami at once. Firstly, her legs had fallen asleep and she could barely move them; secondly, she rather liked the feel of Zoro's neck pressed against her lips; and lastly, Zoro was holding onto her so tightly that she couldn't move no matter how she tried- what brute strength! The first thing to do was stop panicking. There was still no light in the room which meant dawn was still sometime off. After such a lively party last night, it was unlikely that someone would come across them like this. Nami tried to relax and figure out some way to extract herself from the sleeping form of Zoro. Maybe if she wiggled a little, she could get him to loosen his grip a bit. No good! All that managed to do was bring the tops of her breasts in contact with his chest. Feeling her heart beat speed up, Nami cursed her low cut top.

What was wrong with her? Any minute now, the swordsman could wake up and find her on top of him! He'd be sure to kill her if he found her like this and she was stupid enough to like it! Nami tried to regret the previous night and the feeling of Zoro's skin beneath her hands, but she couldn't. Her skin became hot all over when she thought about it and she realized that her blush betrayed her true feelings. When did she start liking Zoro? Was it last night? No, that wasn't right. Maybe it was the first time he protected her against Buggy's men. Or maybe it was something that had been developing for quite a while and only now did she realize it. Well, however it got there, this feeling wasn't something she could risk exposing. How would Zoro react? He'd probably laugh at her for getting stupidly sentimental. And if he caught her here like this... well she didn't want to know what he'd do.

Even though she knew he was too strong to simply shrug off, she tried pushing backward against his arms. Of course, this just made him tighten them even more and Nami now found herself firmly pressed into Zoro's chest. The man beneath her shifted and she felt his lips against her hair. He whispered something that she only afterward recognized as her name. With her heart thumping harder now and her eyes wide with surprise, she gave one great push and freed herself from Zoro's clutches. Despite having pins and needles in her legs, she moved back to the chair next to Zoro's cot and pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her head against her knees.

What did any of this mean anyhow? Did she like Zoro? Certainly. That much she had to admit to herself. Did he know she was there? Well, he was so out of it, he probably wouldn't even remember it anyhow. If he did know, could he guess how she felt even though she herself just realized the extent of her feelings? Nami certainly hoped not. Zoro wasn't a cruel person. He wouldn't hold this over her head. But he had never shown an interest in any woman let alone in Nami.

Nami spent the rest of the morning fretting over her feelings and how best to hide them. When the first rays of sun began to peek over the horizon, the man on the cot beside her stirred. With a large groan, Zoro pushed himself up to a sitting position, clutching his head. Eyeing Nami he said, "Guess I missed dinner then?"

Nami pushed herself up off the chair and punched Zoro in the shoulder- though not as hard as usual. "Took you long enough to wake up, Idiot!" And she stalked off leaving Zoro alone to wonder why his bandages smelled of mikans. That is if he even noticed.

She could hear him shouting out "What the hell?" as she passed the table where Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were sleeping.

With a loud bang, Nami slammed her fist on the table waking them. "Your patient is up Doctor!" She snarled before leaving. She was definitely determined that Zoro wouldn't find out what she discovered the night before.

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Still deciding not to let Zoro know she cared and not caring were two different things entirely. It was hard to listen to Chopper tell Zoro he needed to rest when the swordsman refused to stop training. Zoro was a difficult patient. He wouldn't keep his bandages on, he wouldn't rest and he refused to stick to the bland diet Chopper suggested. The poor reindeer was a wreck and his fretting was really getting to Nami. They had only boarded the ship yesterday and already a trying pattern had evolved. Zoro would do something against Chopper's wishes causing the reindeer to panic. Robin would make some fatalistic remark that silenced everyone. Then Franky would start sobbing saying Zoro was too young to die while denying his tears. Luffy would laugh while Usopp started in on some tale about how he was once wounded worse than that and still did whatever stupid lie he came up with. Brook added in one of his skull jokes while Sanji shouted that if the dumbass was going to kill himself, just let him do it! Then Zoro would look at them and tell them all to shut the hell up. The whole ordeal was getting very stressful for Nami who now realized just how much she would care if something did happen to Zoro.

And to make matters worse, Sanji had picked up on her stressed vibe and was determined to "cheer her up." This meant a lot of dancing about her calling out "Nami-swan!" and bringing her lots of treats. Usually she wouldn't mind the pampering, but she just wasn't in the mood for Sanji's flirting.

These concerns for Zoro were getting in the way of her job as well. She was so preoccupied with Zoro, she didn't even have time to figure out why the log pose was pointing slightly downward. After the second day on the ship, it was clear Nami would have to do something about all of this.

It was evening and people were already turning in for the night except for Luffy who kept his seat atop Sunny's head. No one was around to notice her, so she slipped up to the crow's nest thinking that Zoro would be sleeping up there. It might be a good place for her to think and sort out some of these feelings.

Only when she got up there, Zoro wasn't sleeping, but instead waving an impossibly sized weight above his head like a katana. "Zoro, you idiot! You're supposed to be resting!"

Clang! The weight dropped to the floor in front of Zoro as he spun around to fix her with a cold glare. "Says who?"

He bent down to pick up his weights and Nami rushed over to grab his arms to stop him. "Says our ships doctor! He says you'll reopen your wounds!"

Zoro looked up to meet Nami's mulberry eyes with a challenge. "Chopper isn't here. And I hope you don't think you can stop me with force. I may have been injured, but I'm still fit enough to take on you."

Her lips thinned with a determined look and she tightened her grip on his arms. "No, you need to rest. You can train all you want when you get better."

"I won't get better if I'm not training!" Zoro shouted and his muscles twitched with the strain of not throwing her off then and there.

"Don't twist my words, you useless swordsman! You're still injured you need to heal. Give yourself time!" It was too much trying to keep his hands away from the weights and she was beginning to buckle under the tension.

Suddenly, Zoro twisted around taking Nami with him and pinning her to the wall. It happened in less than a second. He growled his next retort through his teeth. "If I don't get stronger, I am never going to beat that man who would have killed us all with no second thought!"

There was no need to ask whom he meant. She knew he referred to Kuma and it just proved she was right about Zoro standing up to him alone. She closed her eyes to stop tears from coming to them. He was so close to her it was driving her crazy, and when she looked up she couldn't stop herself from shouting the words she was thinking. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

Zoro's dark green eyes locked onto hers for one tortuous moment and in that time Nami knew that the truth behind her words was lain bare before him. There was no mistaking her meaning and Zoro's eyes widened with the confrontation of emotions that poured out of Nami. He let go of her wrists quickly and turned away from her. Nami allowed herself to sink back into the wall. It was just as she feared: he knew exactly how she felt but didn't care. This time, Nami didn't bother to stop the tears that sprang to her eyes. Instead they fell silently down her cheeks.

With his back to her and his hands clenched in fists by his side he finally spoke. "You shouldn't care about me. I put my life on the line for every fight I enter. If I didn't I couldn't call myself a swordsman. Caring about a guy like me will only hurt you."

"Do you think I don't know that, Stupid?" Nami spat. "Do you think I like feeling like this? That I like worrying about a man who won't worry about himself?"

"Then why torment yourself?" he still made no move to look at her or face her.

Nami gave a sad half laugh as she rubbed her eyes with her wrist. "Who knows." After a moment she added, "I guess everyone on this crew is crazy after all." There was a long awkward pause before Nami pushed herself up from against the wall. "I'll leave you to your training," she said as she crossed the room to the hatch door.

Then Zoro's voice cut through the room as if he were struggling with himself whether to speak or not. "I can still feel your hands on my body when I close my eyes." Nami stopped dead in her tracks almost afraid to even breathe before he finished. "At first I thought I imagined the whole thing. It wouldn't have been the first time I'd had such a dream about you."

Her heart was pounding against her ribs and she chanced a glance at Zoro who was looking at his hands. He continued. "But this time when I woke up, your scent was everywhere. When I asked Chopper, he said you had stayed by me all the night, and that you didn't even join in the party. It made me happy, and still I didn't dare think you might have feelings for me."

He was moving now. Soon he stood right behind her. When he spoke again she could feel his breath on her ear and yet he wasn't touching her. "I had contented myself thinking it was just one night that you took pity on fallen nakama. For me, that one night was enough."

Was she shaking? She had to be shaking. He wasn't even touching her, but she could feel him on every part of her body. More than anything, she wanted to turn around and fling herself at him. And yet somehow she resisted, though every stretch of her ached with the tension of it. And Zoro's voice went on right behind her. "Falling for me was a very stupid thing to do. I can't change who I am. Every time we come across a strong enemy I will be right there in his path. I will put my life on the line over and over again, even when I am in a state like this. I should turn you away from me right now. I should send you into the arms of someone more careful with their own life like that shitty curly cook who always fawns over you. I should send you to someone who will treat you gently and live only for you. But I can't... I can't because I'm a selfish man, and I've fallen for you to."

The air in the room had to be leaving because as hard as she tried Nami couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe and she couldn't move. It was as if someone had frozen her right there on the spot. She couldn't move until he finished talking.

"I'm going to try to do the right thing here. I'm going to give you five seconds to leave and forget any of this has happened. I won't bother you about it again and you can try to forget anything you've ever felt for me. If, however, you're here after I get to five, I can't be held responsible for my actions."

"One."

Nami closed her eyes and tried to remember how to breathe.

"Two."

Zoro took half a step toward her- he couldn't have been any closer without touching her.

"Three."

His right hand moved forward grazing her thigh and trailing upward to land firmly on her right hip.

"Four."

With just the one hand he pulled her flush against him and whispered into her ear, "This is your last chance, I'm not a nice man." But Nami stayed put.

"Five."

And then they were both moving quickly all at once. Zoro's hands were all over her, running up her sides and over her breasts. His head was buried in her neck as he began kissing and sucking on the delicate skin there. Nami too was moving and pushing her hips back to grind against his manhood. Her hands had reached backward to grasp at his hips and were moving over the front of his trousers. She turned her head to the side and caught his kiss full on the lips moaning at the shock it sent through her.

Feeling her lips on his only made Zoro hungrier for her and soon his hands were sliding under her shirt to knead her breasts. His deft fingers sought out her nipple through her lacy bra and began pinching and playing with the sensitive nubs.

Nami had to stop kissing him to gasp with pleasure at the sensation and Zoro took that opportunity to pull her shirt up over her head. Thus freed, he spun her around quickly and looked her over as if drinking in the sight of her before pulling her back toward him for another fierce kiss.

Since Zoro's shirt was already undone for his work out, it was quite easy for Nami to push it off to join hers on the floor. One of Zoro's hands was now sliding down under Nami's ass as the other worked at the hooks of her bra. The hand on her rear squeezed and pulled her tighter against him so she could feel his hardness against her. Once he had rid her of her bra, both hands were under her lifting her off the ground as if she weighed nothing. Instinctively, Nami wrapped her legs around his waist.

Soon her back was against the wall and Zoro's mouth was on her breasts. One arm supported her weight while the other hand slipped under her skirt and into her panties. God she was wet! She didn't remember ever being so wet before. Reaching down, she undid the front of Zoro's pants so that they fell to the floor. He stepped out of them easily, never missing a beat in his attentions to Nami. His fingers danced inside her and she was moaning his name.

"Zoro, I want you! I want you now!"

Zoro was not the sort of guy who needed to be told twice. In a flash Nami's panties were on the ground and his under pants with them. He rubbed against her with his tip asking "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Nami looked fiercely into his eyes and said, "Yes!" And with that word Zoro pushed inside her and claimed her mouth with a fiery kiss. Nami couldn't move much up against the wall, but she still managed to find a rhythm with her hips in time with Zoro's thrusts. He kept his pace hard and fast and Nami loved every minute of it. Before long, she was clenching around him and screaming his name. A few more thrusts and Zoro emptied himself within her.

They both needed time to catch their breath, and when Nami looked up she saw that Zoro had on the same devilish smirk he always wore when he'd found a strong opponent. Usually that look chilled her to the core, but this time it excited her more than she knew was possible. He caught her lips once more. And pulled her away from the wall and to the makeshift bed he used on the nights he slept in the crow's nest.

This time their lovemaking was unhurried and sensual. The both took their time exploring the other's body. And they had so much fun that both found times to laugh with pleasure. This time before he came, Zoro looked down into her mulberry eyes and said, "Say that you're mine, Nami."

Nami looked up into his passionate, sincere face and smiled. "I'm yours Zoro. I always have been." With that he leaned down to kiss her once more as they both rode their climax together.

That night, before they slept Nami ran her hands over Zoro's chest as he closed his eyes and breathed in the sent of her. Nami smirked and quipped at Zoro, "I'm not sure if this is what Chopper meant by 'resting in bed.'"

Zoro laughed and wagged his eyebrows at her. "Well as long as you're with me, I promise to actually stay in bed."

Nami sighed. "I guess that will have to do."

The swordsman pulled her to him for one more kiss before shutting his eyes and allowing sleep to take him. Nami stayed up for quite some time longer, tracing the scars on Zoro's chest. Honestly, there were so many! He was right: he wouldn't be an easy man to love. She would be constantly worried about his safety, and he would be reckless with his own life over and over. But all the worrying in the world was worth this feeling right here. Nami laid her head down on her lover's shoulder eager to wake up in his arms once more.

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Author's note: There you have it. I haven't done many one-shots, but the fan girl inside of me squealed when I saw that Nami stayed beside Zoro during the Thriller Bark party. I know at that point we are all focused on Brook, so I had to wonder, "what was Nami thinking?" And thus this story was born in my head months ago, and had to wait for me to catch up in the anime and read the entirety of the manga from the beginning to write it. This story was set to the corresponding manga chapters. The anime is good about staying true to the manga, but if there are differences between this and the anime, that's why.

As a note, I know that most of the one piece characters eyes are all white with a black pupil, but for the sake of the narrative I decided that Zoro's eyes would be green since Oda has said green is his color. Also, Nami's eyes are a purply/brown color in the anime and that is where I took her eye color from.

Also this is my first One Piece fan fiction! I'm thinking of making a LuNa fic that is longer and possibly a sequel to this fic post 3D2Y. Anyway, please leave me some love in the form of a review! :D


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